Notion Rain MTG Card


Notion Rain enables card advantage and strategic deck filtering, setting up your future plays. Dual mana cost and life trade-off are considerations for including it in your MTG strategy. Its unique properties make it a valuable card in control and mid-range MTG decks.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Surveil

Text of card

Surveil 2, then draw two cards. Notion Rain deals 2 damage to you. (To surveil 2, look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them into your graveyard and the rest on top of your library in any order.)

City air is a constant drizzle of private thoughts.


Cards like Notion Rain

Notion Rain is a captivating option within the dimly lit corridors of card selection in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This card resembles other card-draw spells, most notably Concentrate, where the player can draw three cards. Yet, Notion Rain brings a twist to the table, inflicting 2 damage to its caster, for a trade-off of peeking into the future of their deck, offering both card selection and draw for only three mana.

Entering a territory similar to Thought Erasure, another card that allows players to surveil, we notice some overlap. Notion Rain takes it further by drawing two cards instead of one, albeit without the disruption to the opponent’s hand. For players weighing tempo against card advantage, Read the Bones stands as a relevant comparison. It also offers scrying combined with drawing cards but lacks the newly introduced surveil mechanic, which places unwanted cards in the graveyard rather than the bottom of the library.

Therefore, while comparing Notion Rain to its counterparts, its unique blend of card quality control and draw capacity is a valued commodity in decks that can afford the life point trade-off. This makes the card a nuanced yet powerful tool in Magic: The Gathering strategies focusing on card advantage.

Concentrate - MTG Card versions
Thought Erasure - MTG Card versions
Read the Bones - MTG Card versions
Concentrate - MTG Card versions
Thought Erasure - MTG Card versions
Read the Bones - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Notion Rain by color, type and mana cost

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Pilfered Plans - MTG Card versions
Unmoored Ego - MTG Card versions
Mnemonic Betrayal - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Espionage - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Notion Rain offers you a glimpse into the future, allowing you to draw two cards. This increates action choices and can tip the game in your favor by stacking your hand with options.

Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t provide direct mana acceleration like some other cards, the surveil aspect of Notion Rain lets you filter your deck quickly, ensuring smoother draws in consecutive turns. This can indirectly increase your resource quality and speed up your game plan.

Instant Speed: Although Notion Rain is a sorcery, it paves the way for instant speed plays. By setting up your next draws through surveil, you’re better prepared to react swiftly with instants in hand, thus keeping up the pace and applying pressure during critical moments of the match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Notion Rain necessitates that you discard two cards when you cast it. This can be particularly punishing when your hand is already dwindling, forcing tough decisions about which resources to sacrifice.

Specific Mana Cost: Notion Rain requires both blue and black mana, limiting it to decks that can reliably produce both colors. This might exclude it from certain strategies not operating in a Dimir (blue-black) color pairing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two specific colors, Notion Rain is costlier compared to other card-drawing spells. Players might consider alternatives that offer similar effects for a lower investment, leaving more mana available for other actions within the turn.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Notion Rain offers flexible utility for any deck that capitalizes on card filtering and life as a resource. This spell fits snugly in control or mid-range strategies, allowing you to sculpt your hand for upcoming threats and opportunities.

Combo Potential: Integrating well with decks that benefit from both surveil and draw mechanics, Notion Rain can set the stage for powerful graveyard synergies, enabling enhanced interactions with cards that care about the top of your library or your graveyard contents.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where information and the right answers are key, Notion Rain proves its worth. The ability to dig deeper into your deck for crucial spells makes it a valuable addition in a constantly evolving competitive scene.


How to beat

Notion Rain is a unique sorcery card that offers MTG players both information and resources at the cost of life. This card allows a player to surveil two, then draw two cards, dealing 2 damage to that player. The damage it inflicts is a trade-off many decks are willing to accept for the combined advantage of deck manipulation and card draw.

To effectively counter Notion Rain, consider utilizing spells that negate card draw effects or life gain strategies to offset the health loss. Alternatively, pressure your opponent with aggressive tactics early in the game, reducing the value of taking extra damage from their own card. Cards like Narset, Parter of Veils, limit the benefit of drawing multiple cards, while targeted discard spells can disrupt your opponent’s hand, potentially removing Notion Rain before it’s cast. Strategic use of counterspells or hand disruption will ensure that your opponent gains minimal advantage, keeping you ahead in the match.

Overall, Notion Rain can be a powerful tool for those who use it wisely. The trick in overcoming it lies in disrupting your opponent’s game plan and mitigating the life loss component that Notion Rain embodies.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic depth of MTG shines with cards like Notion Rain, blending card draw and deck manipulation for a potent pairing. Mastering its use can offer crucial advantages, allowing you to anticipate and react to the evolving battlefield. While this sorcery demands a balance of life and resources, its inclusion in your deck could be the key to outmaneuvering opponents. We encourage you to continuously update your deck and strategy, embracing the finesse cards like Notion Rain provide. For more insights into optimizing play and enhancing your collection, connect with us to unlock the full potential of your MTG gameplay.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Notion Rain MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Murders at Karlov Manor Commander, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Notion Rain and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Notion Rain Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by Lius Lasahido.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-10-05Guilds of RavnicaGRN 1932015NormalBlackLius Lasahido
22024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 2172015NormalBlackLius Lasahido

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Notion Rain has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Notion Rain card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2018-10-05 When you surveil, you may put all the cards you look at back on top of your library, you may put all of those cards into your graveyard, or you may put some of those cards on top and the rest of them into your graveyard.
2018-10-05 You perform the actions stated on a card in sequence. For some spells and abilities, you’ll surveil last. For others, you’ll surveil and then perform other actions.